Two-ingredient container system

ABSTRACT

A two-ingredient container system. A drum for a main liquid, such as a solvent, has a bunghole at its upper end; a cap for the bunghole has a depending stem with a lower flange. A second ingredient, liquid or solid, is placed in a thin plastic tube of soft collapsible plastic and is tied by strings or similar means at both ends, and the strings are then tied to the stem of the cap. The tube-encased plastic is then put into the drum, either before or after the drum is filled with the main liquid. When the cap is taken off the bunghole, the strings are used to pull up one end of the tube sufficiently enough to be able to cut off that end and open it, and then the other end may be pulled up and used to shake the second ingredient into the liquid. The invention is particularly useful in combining materials such as dichlobenil with sodium methyl dithiocarbamate.

United States Patent [191 Home [ Mar. 19, 1974 TWO-INGREDIENT CONTAINERSYSTEM [73] Assignee: Airrigation Engineering Company,

Inc., Carmel Valley, Calif.

[22] Filed: Oct. 5, 1971 [21] Appl. No.1 186,738

[52] US. Cl. 206/47 A, 210/198, 210/64 [51] Int. Cl B65d 81/32 [58]Field of Search 206/47 A, 0.5, 46 F, 46 M, 206/46 PV; 2l0/l98, 242, 64;229/62; 53/135 236.873 ll/l964 Austria .[206/46 F PrimaryExaminerWilliam T. Dixson, Jr. Attorney. Agenr. 0r Firm-Owen.-Wickersham & Erickson ABSTRACT A two-ingredient container system. Adrum for a main liquid, such as a solvent, has a bunghole at its upperend; a cap for the bunghole has a depending stem with a lower flange. Asecond ingredient, liquid or solid, is placed in a thin plastic tube ofsoft collapsible plastic and is tied by strings or similar means at bothends, and the strings are then tied to the stem of the cap. Thetube-encased plastic is then put into the drum, either before or afterthe drum is filled with the main liquid. When the cap is taken off thebunghole, the strings are used to pull up one end of the tubesufficiently enough to be able to cut off thatend and open it, and thenthe other endmay be pulled up and used to shake the second ingredientinto the liquid. The invention is particularly useful in combiningmaterials such as dichlobenil with sodium methyl dithiocarbamate.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEHRAR 19 I974 3397546 sum 1 er 2INVENTOR. FREDERICK E HORNE 1 TWO-INGREDIENT CONTAINER SYSTEM BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a two-ingredient containersystem in which one ingredient is a solid and one ingredient is a liquidand in which it is desired to have a fresh mixture made shortly beforeuse.

There are instances in which mixtures or solutions deteriorate uponstanding or where for other reasons it is not desirable to mix them atthe manufacturing plant, but to provide a system by which they can bemixed readily by the consumer. For example, wettable powders orcolloidal clays with active surfaces tend to become muddy or gummy whenpackaged directly in a liquid and kept there for a substantial length oftime, tending to settle to the bottom of the drum as a sticky mud. As aresult, the material is not as floatable or dispersible when stirredlater as would be a fresh addition of the same powder.

Sometimes such substances are packaged as two separate ingredients intwo separate containers, but this is often undesirable, for the usersfrequently then store them separately and do not have both of themavailable when wanting to make the mixture. Also separate governmentregistration may be required. Sometimes the containers are made to havetwo sections in them, and this sometimes gives satisfactory results, butat other times it is unsuccessful, because mixing still can bedifficult, and because it is relatively expensive.

An example of where the invention is particularly useful may be helpful.In another patent application I have disclosed the use of somecompositions for treating sewer pipes. It has been found that certainalkali metal alkyl dithiocarbamates, such as sodium methyldithiocarbamate, when mixed with a suitable surfactant and with asuitable herbicide such as dichlobenil, is

very effective. Usually the mixture can be made up in a manufacturingplant and under many conditions it is stable. However, it has been foundthat the stability endures only up to a temperature of approximately 85to 90 F. Above that, the dichlobenil tends to volatilize more readily inthe presence of the dithiocarbamate and to separate itself from it, sothat it is less useful. Consequently, it has been found desirable toprepare the dichlobenil as a wettable powder and to employ the presentinvention for storage and shipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the invention, the major ingredient, aliquid, is stored in a drum having a bunghole at its upper end. Thebunghole has a cap with a depending stem that extends down into thebunghole, and at the lower end the cap has a flange. The secondingredient, solid or liquid, is stored in a thin plastic tube of softcollapsible plastic tied at both ends by string or other such means sothat both ends are sealed. The tube is then placed inside the drum, withthe ends of the strings tied to the cap. If the drum has not alreadybeen filled with the main liquid, it is then filled. When it is desiredto use the mixture, the cap is taken off, and the strings signal at onceto the user that he must make the mixture. He uses one of the strings todraw out one end of the tube, cuts off that end or otherwise opens it,and drops it back into the drum. Then he uses the other string to drawthe other part of the tube partway out so that he can shake the materialout from the tube into the drum. He then can dispose of the plastictube, leaving the dry ingredient in BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Inthe drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a drum cap and a solids containertied to the cap, the combination embodying the principles of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of a drum incorporating the package forthe solids in conjunction with its bunghole cap. A portion of the drumwall is broken away to show the solids container inside.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the first step in mixing thesolid with the liquid. One end of the solids container is beingwithdrawn by the cap and string through the open bunghole.

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing one end of the tube having just beencut off.

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing the other end of the solids containerwithdrawn from the bunghole and used to shake out the solids containerand mix the solid with the liquid.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of cap.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As the drawings show, a mainingredient 10, a liquid, is contained in a conventional drum 11 having abunghole 12. The bunghole 12 is normally closed by a cap 13 (FIGS. l5)having an upper flange 14 which is crimped down onto a locking flange 15on the drum surrounding the bunghole. The cap 13 also has a dependingstem portion 16 ending with a bottom flange 17. In FIG. 6 a modifiedform of cap 30 is shown, having screw threads 31 and a depending member32 providing an opening 33.

In the present invention a second ingredient 20, which may be a solid ora liquid, is contained in a tube 21 of a soft flexible plastic such aspolyethylene, one which is not soluble in the liquid 10. The secondingredient 20 is placed into the tube 21 with both ends 22 and 23 of thetube 21 open or with one end having been previously closed as by tyingone end tight with a string. After the desired amount of solid is withinthe tube the other end is, or both ends 22 and 23 are, tied tight withstring. The tube 21 is made of a suitable size and flexibility and whenfilled with the second ingredient 20 is left with a sufficient amountvacant or otherwise is enabled to be inserted into the bunghole 12. Thestrings 24 and 25 are made so tight that there is no leakage of liquid10 into the tube 21. The ends of the strings 24 and 25 are tied to thestem 16 of the cap 13 (or to the opening 33 of the cap 30 in FIG. 6).Thus, before installation the second ingredient 20 and its package 21appears as in FIG. 1, where the strings 24 and 25 tying the two ends 22and 23 are tied to the cap stem 16, and when the tube 21 is insertedinside the drum It) for shipment and storage, it is as shown in FIG. 2.

When it is desired to use the device, the bunghole cap 13 is freed fromthe bunghole 12, if it has been sealed, by a suitable uncrimping meansand is raised out of the bunghole 12. (The cap 30 of FIG. 6 is unscrewedfrom a threaded bunghole.) It carries with it, of course, the strings 24and 25. One of the strings 24 is then used to raise one end 22 of thetube, as shown in FIG. 3. The other end of the tube 21 is still in thedrum 10. When the end 22 has been lifted a sufficient amount above thebunghole 112 so that it can be cut off, this end 22 may then be cut offacross a cut 26 as shown in FIG. 4, leaving an open end 27. The stringsmay be untied, instead of cutting the tube 21, but that usually takeslonger and is unnecessary. Once it has been cut, the open end 27 isdropped back into the drum 10 through the bunghole 12. After that end 27has been dropped back in, the other string 25 is preferably pulled outof the bunghole 12 so that the tube 21 can be shaken from the end 23 ornear it, so as to shake the second ingredient into the main liquid 10,thereby helping to disperse it and to get it all dissolved. Then, if thematerial is to be used, theentire combination of cap 13 and tube 21 andstrings 24! and 25 can be discarded and the material poured from thedrum, or the strings 24 and 25 can be cut from the cap 13 and thestrings 24 and 25 and plastic 21 thrown away, with the cap 13 restoredto use.

As indicated above, in a particular practice of the invention the secondingredient 20 may be dichlobenil or some other herbicide or insecticideor fungicide prepared in a wettable powder form or as a liquid. The mainliquid 10 may be a suitable alkyli metal alkyl di thiocarbamate such assodium methyl dithiocarbamate. This gives particular advantages whichhave already been alluded to.

I claim:

1. A sewer treatment package, including in combination:

a drum containing a liquid combination of a surfactant and an alkalimetal alkyl dithiocarbamate. said drum having a bunghole at its upperend,

a cap for said bunghole having a depending portion that, when said capcloses said bunghole, extends down into said bunghole,

a thin plastic tube of soft collapsible plastic containing wettablepowder dichlobenil that is to be dispersed in said liquid prior to use,said plastic being freely collapsible and insoluble in said liquid, and

string means tied around both ends of said plastic tube closing them andpreventing flow of said liquid into said tube, said string means beingtied to said depending portion,

whereby, when said cap is taken off said bunghole, said string means isused to pull up one end of said tube and open it, the opened end beinglet down into said drum while the other end is raised and shaken toempty said dichlobenil from said tube into said liquid.

1. A sewer treatment package, including in combination: a drumcontaining a liquid combination of a surfactant and an alkali metalalkyl dithiocarbamate, said drum having a bunghole at its upper end, acap for said bunghole having a depending portion that, when said capcloses said bunghole, extends down into said bunghole, a thin plastictube of soft collapsible plastic containing wettable powder dichlobenilthat is to be dispersed in said liquid prior to use, said plastic beingfreely collapsible and insoluble in said liquid, and string means tiedaround both ends of said plastic tube closing them and preventing flowof said liquid into said tube, said string means being tied to saiddepending portion, whereby, when said cap is taken off said bunghole,said string means is used to pull up one end of said tube and open it,the opened end being let down into said drum while the other end israised and shaken to empty said dichlobenil from said tube into saidliquid.